San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-12-21

Louis hrc,r himself into a chair.
It is not a year since she promised to be my
wife; and she loved me them believe she
loves me now, if she is capable of it!'
| "Stay, Charteris." said the other. still
speaking calmly, though there was little
inward calm, you are talking wildly. Try
and tell me cOllectedly. II you are willing
l should know all, how this came about?"
| Louis threw himself into a chair by the
table and dropped his head on his arm.
"I'lI try" he said. brOkenly. Yes, am
willing to tell You all, but am unnamed
| Just now
| Max was silent II was best so. 1t Is
not easy, even for woman, TO comfort a
| man in a grief like this he must fight the
battle alone And yet BeaureGGrd, rs for
moment his hand stole into his breast
| and pressed his own labOring heart, felt
that Louis disappointment would he com
| parativeiy shOrt-lived. Time wOuld heal
| the wound that bled now so freely. But
| the young mans grief was poignant at
| first; sobs shook his frame. The soldier
| possessed his soul in silence: and. if his
| cheek was a little paler than usual, his lips
more sternly compressed. who would have
noticed these signs as meaning more than
| that he felt deeply for young Charters,
| and, man-likC. depressed all outward show
of emotion
By-and-by Louis raised his head
II am a fool he said, dashing his hand
across his eyes. But that's the last of it,
1 hope. | ought to have known better than
| TO dream that II brilliant beauty, when
once she knew her worth. would bestOw II
| h.,
| give her carriages and diamonds, and
mansion in the WeSt-end"'
"Ay,' said Beauregard. in n low voice.
Faust was wise in his generation when
| he tempted Marguerite with Jewels; aud
| yet, don't fall into the error of DelievingHll
women Marguertes"
No! Yet Valerie seemed as pure heart
| ed IA child before she was thrown into
the whirlpool of society"
"She had had no temptation: but Heaven
forbid ! should speak harshly Of Il child
she is scarcely more than that now, Char
| teris-"
He stopped. bit his lip. and added, alb
ruptly:
you saw her herSelf-alOne-to-d
For the first time since her return to
| England. had been with my father in
the country; he was ILL., When returned
| to London / wrote to Valerie, asking to
see her. She answered me that on Tues
day and Wednesday she was engaged;
was to call to-day. She put me off for af-
| ternoon calls, for the turn out Of the Four
INLAND! When met her she told me that
| she could not marry me. | charged her
with throwing me over for Aston LawfOrd,
and she could not deny it; she was silent
ashamed to meet my look. WAITED for her
| TO speak; hoped that she might deny the
| charge, but she was speechless. / implor-
ed her to answer me; accused her of being
| mercenary and worldly, and by her shamed
silence she pleaded guilty
Beauregard turned aside his face; for full
a minute he could not speak; and Louis
was too self-absorbed to notice that, when
the soldier broke the silence, his voice was
little husky
"Did she tell you," he asked that she
was engaged to LawfOrdE'
"She told me nothing in words; she adj
mitted all by silence"
II understand, Charters: you have
learned your lesson. Don't let it embitter
| you, and make you judge all women by
one. 1t is better to know the truth now
than when knowledge might come too
late"
81 have loved her 50 long" said poor
Louis, dropping his head again, "and to be
| forced to despise her.
Despise her, Beauregard caught his
breath as If struck by aphysical blow. The
word, in connection with Valerie, went
like knife to his heart
Not that he said, inwardly his lips
white with pain. "Oh, not that! my OVID
my love; 80 young-so tempted. Heaven
help thee
He turned, and laid his hand on Louis
shoulder.
"You are too young, Charters, : he said.
gently, ito be merciful: and just now the
wound is too deep. But try 10 remember
that Valerie is hcaping up for herself in
the future far greater suffering than she
has inflicted on You. And | think GlsO,"
he said this with a ring Of subdued passion
in his soft voice. that about a woman one
has once loved there is something forever
Notwithstanding that must make US al.
ways speak Of her and think of her tender.
ly."
Even" said Louis, bitterly, when she
has befooled you and wrecked your life?"
Even when she has wrecked your life"
said Max, quietly, and he dropped his hand,
and turned away again.
But such chivalry was beyond Louis
| Charters; he only thought. THE man has
not loved as | have, or been treated rs Va
| lerie treated me" He said: II cannot feel
like that, Colonel Brauregard. ! wish to
Heaven had never seen Valerie! | want
never to see her AGAIN.
Beauregard crushed down the almost
scornful words that rushed to his lips
you call this lOveE-a boys infatuationl
In six months the wound will be healed;
in year the very scar will have vanished"
He walked once or twice through the
room before he could calm down the temp
est within him enough to trust his voice.
| Then he paused, and said:
ut is better for you that you feel as you
| speak, Charters; yOu will the sooner learn
to forget woman who has proved herself
unworthy Of any mans love-
81 shall never forget herr said Louis.
Beauregard made a gesture of impa-
thence; there was a touch of irony in his
/ smile.
You say so now; young fellows are al
ways convinced that their first disappoint-
ment will last their lifetime; butt never
n b 0oaasHA6